1. Literary Analysis Lessons From an Old Man
Please take a few minutes to listen to some suggestions I have, after 20 years of reading and writing this stuff, on how to improve your literary analysis writing skills.

2. Understand your task!
How does The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald reflect the idea of lost innocence?

3. Organize Your Essay for Easy Digestion
Introduction
Body Paragraph1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion

4. Align Your Ideas! Topic Sentence 1 Topic Sentence 2 Topic Sentence 3
Thesis Statement
Topic Sentence 1
Topic Sentence 2
Topic Sentence 3
Reworded Thesis Statement

5. Let’s Look at an Example
Thesis - Arthur Miller develops themes of individualism through his characters Willy Loman, Biff Loman, and John Proctor
Topic Sentence 1
Willy Loman is the perfect example of how not to be an individualist
Topic Sentence 2
Biff Loman represents one type of individualism
Topic Sentence 3
John Proctor highlights a different type of individualism
Restated Thesis – Miller’s major characters all serve to advance the
Author’s commentary on individualism

6. Illustration 1 – Prove it!
Be Thorough!
Topic Sentence
Point 1 – How So?
Illustration 1 – Prove it!
Explanation 1 – So What?
Point 2
Illustration 2
Explanation 2
Point 3
Illustration 3
Explanation 3
Concluding Sentence

7. Let’s Continue with an Example
Topic Sentence: Willy Loman highlights how not to be an individualist
Point 1: Willy does not follow his dreams
Illustration 1:He doesn’t move to Alaska with his brother
Explanation 1: Willy conforms to society’s career expectations rather than doing his own thing
Point 2: Willy is never true to his own nature
Illustration 2: He rebuild his front stoop and puts up ceilings in his home.
Explanation 2: Willy is an excellent carpenter, but refuses to accept his nature, opting to fail in business instead
Point 3:
Illustration 3:
Explanation 3
Concluding Sentence: Willy Loman’s character serves as a
warning against ignoring the call of individualism.

8. Stay Focused!
Keyword Repetition

9. Let’s See Keywords in Action
Topic Sentence – Willy Loman highlights how not to be an individualist Point 1 – He is not an individualist in the pursuit of his dreams Illustration 1 – He doesn’t move to Alaska with his brother. Explanation 1 – Instead of acting individualistically and on impulse when his brother proposes moving to the American frontier, Willy conforms to society’s job expectations.

10. Prove it!
Quotes

11. Let’s look at a good quote
Topic Sentence – Willy Loman highlights how not to be an individualist Point 1 – He is not an individualist in the pursuit of his dreams Illustration 1 – “We should have moved to Alaska”(Miller 34) Explanation 1 – Instead of acting individualistically and on impulse when his brother proposes moving to the American frontier, Willy conforms to society’s career expectations

12. Make it Flow!
Transitions
Signal Phrases

13. Let’s see those ideas in action
Topic Sentence – Willy Loman highlights how not to be an individualist
Point 1 – To begin with, he is not an individualist in the pursuit of his dreams
Illustration 1 – For instance, when talking to his wife after his failed sales trip to Boston, he laments that, “We should have moved to Alaska”(Miller 34)
Explanation 1 – Therefore, Instead of acting individualistically and on impulse when his brother proposes moving to the American frontier, Willy conforms to society’s career expectations

14. In a Nutshell Good Literary Analysis
Organized and aligned thesis and topic sentences
Focused paragraphs with repeated keyword
Valid Arguments proven with quotes
Flowing ideas through transitions and signal phrases

15. Choices